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<strong>Background and objectives:</strong> <em>Ziziphora tenuior</em> is considered as an appropriate protoscolicidal agent yet the mechanism of such effect is not known so far. The aim of this study was to evaluate the apoptotic effect of <em>Z. tenuior</em> extract on protoscolices of hydatid cyst.<strong> Methods:</strong> Protoscolices were collected aseptically and the Bradford test was employed to determine the number required for the experiments. Various concentrations of <em>Z. tenuior </em>extract (5, 50, and 100 mg/mL) was incubated with hydatid cyst protoscolices at 37 ^oC and 5% Co₂ for 4 h. The apoptotic effect of <em>Z. tenuior</em> extract on hydatid cyst protoscolices and the evaluation of caspases 3, 8, and 9 activities were ditermined using ELISA-based commercial diagnostic kits. <strong>Results:</strong> In the present study, 50 and 100 mg/mL of <em>Z. tenuior</em> extract produced apoptosis in the protoscolices of hydatid cyst significantly (p<0.05). Also, the activity of caspase 3 at 50 and 100 mg/mL significantly increased by 29.99% and 36.01%, respectively (p<0.05). Similarly, caspase 9 also demonstrated a significant increased activity up to 15.23%, and 45.31% at the same concentrations used for caspase 3, respectively (p<0.05). <strong>Conclusion:</strong> Our findings in this study indicated that, <em>Z. tenuior</em> extract can induce apoptotic cell death on hydatid cyst protoscolices by increasing the activity of caspases 3 and 9 via the internal apoptotic pathway.